Monday, December 22, 2008





This beautiful Image is from artist Jan Brett I love her work. I have to work the Next Two Days so I probably won't post till the day after Christmas .


My sincerest wish for each of you is that You and Yours Have a Wonderful Christmas and a Joyful New Year. I treasure the gift of your friendship much more than any gift under the tree. I know that the most precious gifts in life are family and Friends. I am thankful to all of you who visit here and for those of you who are kind enough to leave a comment.


I will try to journey to work tomorrow on this ice and snow so wish me luck.


My plans for the holiday are to be with my husband and animals and curl up with a good book.I am reading Coming Home right now by Rosmunde Pilcher and next will be Outlander by Diane Gabaldon, and maybe going to a Christmas Eve service here or here.

Deep down inside we know

that the best gifts don't come from catalogs or shopping malls

They don't come in brightly-colored packages or fancy envelopes

and they're not sitting under a tree somewhere...

The best gifts come from the heart.

They come when we look at each other REALLY look at each other

and say 'You mean a lot to me' or 'I'm so glad you're a part of my life'

A gift like that will never go out of style or be forgotten or be returned for a different size.

A gift like that can change the world.


Ron Atchison

35 comments:

Adrienne said...

Hi Neighbor -
Prayers for safe travel to and from work in this unusual winter storm we are having. Best and merriest Christmas wishes to you and yours. Stay warm - be safe,
~Adrienne~

Willow said...

Merry Christmas, Yolanda! Be careful on the icy roads and enjoy your Christmas celebrations.

Anonymous said...

I am so jealous that you get to read Outlander for the first time! I fell in love with Claire and Jamie and all the rest when I was just 14 and fear that all that wonderful romance was wasted on me. Enjoy!
Have a blessed and restful Christmas.
Marisa

Judy Merrill-Smith said...

May you be safe on your travels, Yolanda. Merry Christmas!

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

What an adorable picture you posted.

Be safe and enjoy your books and your time at home.

SandyCarlson said...

I enjoyed this post, and I hope that you travel safely to and from work and that you enjoy your Christmas with your husband and critters.

I too like Jan Brett. Her illustrations are so full of love.

Unknown said...

Hope you have a wonderful holiday and that the next two working days pass quickly for you. :)

NicciN said...

Happy Holidays to you. Enjoy your reading time.

karen said...

Dear Yolanda
Have a lovely Christmas, and thanks so much for the lovely pic and words.. Take care, love Karen x

Lydia said...

Love the Jan Brett card.

Now I will worry about you on the roads, being right here in the same valley and all. My husband stayed two nights in Salem last week, and is there again tonight because of reduced staff. (Of course, many of his co-workers are probably stranded at Portland Airport instead of traveling as planned...sad.)

If you go to Christmas Eve service at St. Mary's you'll be four miles from me! I went to Christmas Eve service at the Abbey one year, a very unique experience.

Be safe. And have a Merry Christmas.

Hilary said...

I know you'll enjoy Outlander (and the rest of the series). It's still my all-time favourite novel.

Have a wonderful, safe and happy Christmas. :)

Paula said...

I LOVE Jan Brett also. She's just amazing. I need to start collecting her work for those sweet grandbabies now.
Be safe and warm, my friend. I'm off to work myself, down these slick Astoria hills. I have no problem coming up at night, it's the going down in the icy mornings that I don't like so much!
Merry Merry Christmas to you and yours!

mtnchild said...

Hi Yolanda,
Thank you for stopping by my blog. I loved Outlander and rest of the series. It's been so long since I read them, that I need to dig them out again!

I wish you a safe and happy Christmas with your loved ones.

Stay warm,
Yvette

Christy Woolum said...

What a lovely post. I love Jan Brett also. I miss teaching little children and using her books. I guess my big kids would like her also. Keep safe and warm and have a joyous Christmas.

Anonymous said...

what a great piece of art! holding that quilted antlered friend..it looks like socks for reindeer! i am going to have to look into that outlander as i see you have many commenters who loved the series... i just started a new novel after having a painfully long dry spell with nothing that i could stick with...too much screen time and camera excitement i think...
this entire post is so warm and inviting yolanda. thank you! i have been housebound since friday and not minding much since there is plenty of drama right here in my own backyard... feeding the birds this week is a full time job! be safe driving to and from work...more rain and snow tomorrow...Have a wonderful holiday!

Anonymous said...

Dear Y,
LOVE the Brett picture!!! And have read both books you intend to curl up with!
Wishing you and yours a very Merry and beautiful Christmas!!!

Carol Woolum Roberts said...

Have a very wonderful and peaceful Christmas. The Jan Brett picture is wonderful. I hope you enjoy your books. "Outlander" is a great book. I really need to read more in that series. Stay safe and warm!!

Marg said...

It's all about the heart Yolando. Thanks for sharing. It looks like we're stuffed under a heavy blanket of snow and will be alone this year.
Blessing to you.

His Girl Friday said...

Merry Christmas!!

Karen said...

Our family LOVES Jan Brett! (We have several of her picture books.) I hope you having a beautiful holiday--Merry Christmas!

Dunja said...

What an inspiring quote and Merry Christmas!

Relyn Lawson said...

Christmas is nearly over, but I had to stop by and give you all my good wishes. Merry, merry Christmas!! Happy new year!! (I love Jan Brett, too.)

Anonymous said...

Hope you had a wonderful time Yolanda, even though you were working. Enjoy the curling up with your books - one of my favourite occupations!

Juliann in WA said...

I love those books by Jan Brett. Hope you had a lovely Christmas.

Love Bears All Things said...

I saw you had been by for a visit. Thanks.

I come by your other blog often to see what you're reading. Since moving back to Alabama, I've joined a Book Club. January is the planning meeting to pick books for 2009. I have noted some of the last ones you've recommended.
Mama Bear

Flower said...

You have very good taste in books! Jan Brett is one of my favorite authors..and her drawings are wonderful! Rosemunde Pilcher should have written more books!! Have you read Shell Seakers?

Angel said...

Hi there!!! Thanks for visiting me...it's always nice to find another "blind" person! ;)

Merry Christmas!

storyteller said...

What a BEAUTIFUL image and lovely words shared. Sorry to be visiting after the fact, but life's been busy and I've barely managed to keep up with posting. Four blogs is just cRaZy ... but I do love this bloggy thing. I love Diana Gibaldon and have read the entire series! I suspect you'll get lost in her world easily. My next read is Wally Lamb's new one ... THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED.

I hope your Christmas was joyous and that you're finding time to relax and read.
Hugs and blessings,

Anonymous said...

I wish you lovely Christmas days Yolanda.

Beth said...

A joyous New Year to you as well - and be careful on that ice! It's brutal.

Sharon Lynne said...

Merry Christmas!

I once loved to read, and now...I don't know what happened.

My sister-in-law wants me to read "Marley and Me" and is mailing me the book. So that I must do.

I loved your post. Yes--people are the most important!

Sarah Laurence said...

My daughter and I love the illustrations of Jan Brett too. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too! It sounds like you have some good reading to keep you going.

Tracy said...

Hi, Yolanda! Good to catch up with you here...Hope you've been having a wonderful holiday. We're just back from our Christmas trip to the US and getting over the jet lag and settling in...ringing in 2009 will be quiet here-LOL! Wishing you & yours love & joy in the New Year! ((HUGS))

Kahshe Cottager said...

Yolanda ... I hope that you had the most wonderful Christmas! Thank you for your good wishes as well! ♥

Joni said...

Just dropping by with New Year wishes...have a warm and safe celebration ~